Award-Winning Sisters Share Entrepreneurial Success at Colorado State University on October 18

Two award-winning entrepreneurs who started a visionary information technology services company will visit Colorado State University and share their strategies for starting and managing a successful business.

Annette and Victoria Quintana, sisters who started TeamExcel in Denver, will speak from 4-5:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at the College of Business in Room 119 Rockwell Hall.

With a slowing economy and the downturn in the technology sector, sound advice on establishing and managing a business is critical. Responding to this need in the business community, the Center for Entrepreneurial and Family Enterprise at Colorado State has designed a speaker series to assist current and future entrepreneurs.

The Quintana’s business began as Excel Professional Services in 1990 and grew into three separate subsidiaries handling distinct services within the information technology sector. Combining the separate companies in June 2000, the company changed its name to TeamExcel. In 10 years of business, the company has grown to over $30 billion in sales and revenue and employs over 275 people in four states.

Annette Quintana, CEO of TeamExcel, began the operation with one client and $55,000 in working capital. In 2000, she was named "9 News Leader of The Year."

Victoria Quintana, president of the business, also has contributed to the many awards the company has received, such as "1999 Minority Owned Business of the Year" from the Denver Post and a sixth-place ranking in the top 100 of minority-owned businesses in Colorado by Colorado Biz magazine in 2000. The company also was ranked in the top 100 of women-owned businesses in the country by Working Woman magazine.

Both Annette and Victoria Quintana graduated from Colorado State University with degrees in chemical engineering and business management, respectively.

The presentation is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Participants also will have time to meet with the presenters.

For more information, call Courtney Harms at (970) 491-6876 or via e-mail at ecenter@colostate.edu.